Bristol is a thriving city with hometown atmosphere. Situated along Interstate I-81, nestled along the Blue Ridge Mountains of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia, lies Bristol, a city blessed with an abundance of natural beauty, performing arts, cultural opportunities, historical attractions and sporting events. With Bristol's designation by the U.S. Congress in 1998 as the "Official Birthplace of Country Music," national attention has surrounded the musical traditions of the region.

Bristol is known for it's strong workforce ethics and low crime rate. Bristol is part of the Tri-Cities which includes Johnson City TN and Kingsport TN. Together the Tri-Cities have a population of 480,000 people. Bristol has been voted one of the most livable cities in the United States by American Demographic Magazine. The Tri-Cities is the first region in the nation to be awarded the All American City award from the National Civic League.

It is also known for it's Bristol Motor Speedway owned by Speedway Motorsports of Charlotte NC. The speedway has been dubbed "The World's Fastest Half Mile" which provides some of the most exciting events in motor racing. These high action races make Bristol the hardest NASCAR event to obtain tickets for. Bristol has become the number 2 highest turnout spectator sporting event in the Nation according to Speedway Motorsports. Over 200,000 tickets are sold twice a year plus the additional people who come to town who do not purchase tickets and those who participate in working at the track. The waiting list for tickets is 2 years long. It is estimated that 300,000 people converge on the Tri-Cities area during a race week-end.

Bristol has many things to do and see in the area. South Holston Lake and Boone Lake are among the top choices. Several golf and country clubs including two of the most prestigious clubs in the Eastern United States.The Olde Farm in Abingdon VA and The Virginian in Bristol.

Bristol has major airline service through Tri-Cities International Airport www.triflight.com which provides direct flights to Chicago, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, and Charlotte. Bristol also has a large part in railroad traffic. Bristol was originally built around the railroad and is still a stopping point for most rail companies.

Interstate 81 begins in Knoxville TN where it splits away from what is Interstate 40. I-81 then travels north up to approx. 100 miles north of the Canadian border. The Tri-Cities are also accessed by I-26 from the Carolinas. Bristol is centrally located within 1 day's drive of 70% of the Nation's population.

Population
Metropolitan Statistical Area:480,091
Bristol Tennessee: 24,821
Bristol Virginia: 17,367
Johnson City: 55,469
Kingsport: 44,905

Gender
Metropolitan Statistical Area: 232,189 male / 247,902 female
Bristol Tennessee: 11,798 male / 13,023 female
Bristol Virginia: 7,825 male / 9,542 female
Johnson City: 26,448 male / 29,021 female
Kingsport: 20,507 male / 24,398 female

Median Age
Metropolitan Statistical Area: 39.2
Bristol Tennessee: 39.9
Bristol Virginia: 41.3
Johnson City: 36.9
Kingsport: 41.9

Per-Capita Income
Metropolitan Statistical Area: $22,676
Bristol Tennessee: $18,535
Bristol Virginia: $17,311
Johnson City: $20,364
Kingsport: $20,549

TO VIEW PHOTOS OF THE BRISTOL AND TRI-CITIES AREA, CLICK AREA PHOTOS.